Michael Henderson (born in Yazoo City, Mississippi, on 7 July 1951; died 19… Read Full Bio ↴Michael Henderson (born in Yazoo City, Mississippi, on 7 July 1951; died 19 July 2022) was an American bassist and vocalist best known for his work with Miles Davis in the early 1970s, providing a deep funky groove to early fusion albums such as A Tribute to Jack Johnson, Pangaea (album), and Live-Evil. He was the only musician to play with Davis in both phases of his electric period, starting in 1970 at the age of 18 and continuing until Davis's semi-retirement in 1976. He released a series of his own R&B/soul music, featuring him on vocals, in the mid to late-1970s.

With deep, funky grooves and a pop sensibility, Henderson was one of the first notable bassists of the fusion era as well as being one of the most influential jazz and soul musicians of the past 40 years. In addition to Miles, he has played and recorded with Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, the Dramatics, Doctor John, and others. He is considered to be one of the three greatest motown bassists, along with Bob Babbitt and his primary influence, James Jamerson.

Before working with Miles, Henderson had been touring with Stevie Wonder, whom he met at the Regal in Chicago while warming up for a gig. Miles Davis saw the young Henderson performing at the Copacabana (nightclub) in New York in early 1970 and reportedly said to Wonder simply "I'm takin' your fuckin' bass player."

After almost seven years with Miles, Henderson focused on songwriting and singing in a solo career that produced multiple hit songs and albums for Arista Records until his retirement in 1986. Although known primarily for ballads, he was an influential funk player whose riffs and songs have been widely covered.

In a resurgence in popularity, many of his bass riffs have been imitated by players seeking the fat, deep grooves of the Motown sound. His bass riffs, from such hits as "Valentine Love" and "You are my Starship," have been sampled by the likes of Snoop Dogg and L.L. Cool J, and his songs have been covered by Rick James, Wayman Tisdale, and Sugar Ray, and many more!

He continued to play shows intermittently with classic Michael Henderson music such as the very funky "WIDE RECEIVER" "GEEK YOU UP" "YOU ARE MY STARSHIP" "VALENTINE LOVE" "BE MY GIRL" LET ME LOVE YOU" the famous duets IE., Roberta Flack, "AT THE CONCERT" "Phyllis Hyman "CAN'T WE FALL IN LOVE AGAIN" Rena Scott "TAKE ME, I'M YOURS" Jean Carne on "VALENTINE LOVE" and additional tracks ranging from great Bass Instrumentals to Sexy Ballads to the very Funky.

To Be Loved
Michael Henderson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Someone to care
Someone to share
Lonely hours and moments of despair
To be loved, to be loved
Oh what a feeling to be loved

Someone to kiss
Someone to miss

When you're away
To hear from each day
To be love, to be loved
Oh what a feeling to be loved

Some wish to be a king or a queen
Some wish for fortune and fame
But to be, truly, truly, truly loved is
More than all of these things

Someone to kiss
Someone to miss
When you're away to hear from each day
To be loved, to be love, to be love
Oh what a feeling to be loved

To be loved, to be loved, oh what a feeling
To be loved

Overall Meaning

The song "To Be Loved" by Michael Henderson is a soulful and romantic ballad that expresses the yearning for genuine love and affection. The lyrics emphasize the essential need for the presence of someone who cares and shares in both good times and bad. The first verse outlines the loneliness felt by an individual without a partner, and the second verse continues this theme by pointing out that having someone to miss and hear from daily is the ultimate expression of love.

In the chorus, the singer exclaims that being loved is a unique and incredible feeling that is worth more than any material thing. The idea is reinforced in the third verse, where the statement is made that, while some people may crave fame and wealth, having genuine love surpasses all of these desires.

Overall, the theme of "To Be Loved" is classic and timeless, reflecting a desire that most people share: the need for mutual love and companionship. The song is an affirmation of the importance of love in our lives, and how it transcends all other desires and goals.

Line by Line Meaning

Someone to care
The desire to have someone who cares for you.

Someone to share
The desire to have someone to share your life with.

Lonely hours and moments of despair
The longing to have someone to lean on during difficult times.

To be loved, to be loved
The yearning to experience the feeling of being loved.

Oh what a feeling to be loved
The joy that comes with being loved.

Someone to kiss
The desire to have someone to share physical intimacy with.

Someone to miss
The feeling of longing that comes with missing someone you love.

When you're away
The pain felt when being separated from a loved one.

To hear from each day
The comfort that comes from hearing from a loved one every day.

Some wish to be a king or a queen
The realization that some people seek power and status.

Some wish for fortune and fame
The realization that some people desire wealth and recognition.

But to be, truly, truly, truly loved is
The understanding that being loved is more important than material possessions.

More than all of these things
The acknowledgement that love is the most valuable thing a person can have.

To be love, to be loved, to be loved
The desire to both give and receive love.

Oh what a feeling to be loved
The intense emotion that comes from being loved.

To be loved, to be loved, oh what a feeling
Reiteration of the importance and joy of being loved.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Tyran Carlo, Gwendolyn Gordy Fuqua, Berry Jr Gordy

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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